'No one-offs': Kevin Harvick content in decision to trade racecar for Fox broadcast booth

In a Zoom press conference last week, Kevin Harvick reiterated that his NASCAR Cup Series days would be over at the end of the 2023 season and that no future one-offs or single-race entries would be in the cards.

On Sunday, he revealed why. Turns out, he’s going to be busy.

During pre-race festivities before the Busch Light Clash on Sunday at the L.A. Coliseum, Harvick formally announced that he would be joining the Fox Sports broadcast booth to stand alongside Mike Joy and Clint Bowyer for future seasons.

'IT'S JUST TIME': NASCAR's Kevin Harvick says 2023 is final season as a driver

NEW FACES, NEW PLACES: Drivers in different cars for the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series season

2023 SCHEDULE: NASCAR schedule starts with Daytona, returns to North Wilkesboro, invades Chicago streets

The fit would seem to be natural as Harvick has already worked several Xfinity Series and Craftsman Truck Series races as a broadcaster in recent years. He’s slated to do four more Xfinity races and three more Truck races this season as well.

On Monday, Larry McReynolds, another long-time member of the Fox broadcast team, revealed his thoughts on Harvick’s career change.

“The biggest thing he brings is just so much credibility,” McReynolds said. “Over 100 wins across the top three series combined, 60 Cup wins, there’s not a crown jewel race that man hasn’t won — the 2014 championship, the 2002 IROC championship and the list goes on and on and on.

“But to me, the one thing Kevin brings is what he’s brought to NASCAR. He’s not afraid to speak up and speak the truth and as an analyst, that’s pretty important. You can’t sugarcoat something because you were a teammate to this guy at one time, you can’t sugarcoat something because it’s a Stewart-Haas driver you just drove with for nine or 10 years. You’ve got to tell it like it is. You always want to be fair and I think Kevin will do that, but he’s not afraid to speak up and say, ‘This is good, this is bad, this is right, this is wrong,’ and I think that’s important as an analyst."

As for the career Harvick will leave behind at the conclusion of the upcoming season, he’s completely at peace.

“For me personally, I’m in a really good spot and that’s where I wanted to be from a personal standpoint,” Harvick said. “To be in a good spot with my family, to be in a good spot with the team, to be in a good spot with the people I’ve raced for and to be in a good spot with NASCAR.

"I feel like everybody is supportive and onboard with everything and we haven’t made anybody mad or hurt anybody’s feelings and that was really my goal in the whole thing was to do this as professionally as possible and know it was the right time for me, personally, to have my last season.”

And Harvick insists there will be no Tom Brady tomfoolery when it comes to his retirement decision and a possible comeback.

“There will be no one-offs at Daytona, I can tell you that,” Harvick said, smiling. “One of the things for me that I’ve really thought a lot about is making sure you’ve raced long enough to make sure you don’t need to come back, and to be able to do things right so you have a last year. I’m not telling you I’m not going to race again, but I am telling you that I’m not going to race in the Cup Series for sure. That’s just not in the plans.

“When I go to Daytona (for the summer race), you won’t see me race at Daytona again. I feel like I’ve put in my time, done things the right way and tried to make sure I raced until I wanted to be done with that.”

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: NASCAR: Kevin Harvick says retirement from Cup Series will be permanent